Astros top 50 moments: Jimmy Wynn’s rise to stardom

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The greatest position player in the early history of the franchise was just breaking into the majors with the 1963 Colt .45s, and he had a lot of company. So much so that manager Harry Craft, with the team sitting at 64-95, ran out the historic all-rookie lineup.

Jay Dahl started that day against the Mets still two months shy of his 18th birthday. He’d never start again and died two years later.

But that lineup was filled with players who would only grow beyond their rookie years. Batting second was future Hall of Famer Joe Morgan. In the cleanup spot, Rusty Staub.

Wynn, who had been playing regularly since July, was the No. 3 hitter in that notable September game the Colts lost 10-3.

Those three would rise together, with Wynn achieving the most success in a Houston uniform, playing with the club from 1963-73. “The Toy Cannon” trails only Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman and Craig Biggio on the franchise’s home run list with 233 and by wins above replacement was the fifth-best offensive player in team history.